The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to directing air in an information handling system chassis.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
IHSs typically include an IHS chassis having a plurality of fans that are used to cool different components of the IHS. As the component of the IHS become more powerful, along with the IHS chassis becoming smaller, the cooling of the components of the IHS raises a number of issues.
One way to deal with the problem of cooling the components of the IHS is to position baffles in the IHS chassis in order to direct the air flow from the fans towards components of the IHS that need the most cooling. Such baffles allow for a more efficient use of the fans in order to provide greater cooling of the components of the IHS using the same, and sometimes fewer, number of fans.
However, positioning the baffles in the IHS chassis creates obstructions in the IHS chassis that can obstruct access to certain areas of the IHS chassis. For example, during the assembly of the IHS, the IHS chassis may move along an assembly line in a particular orientation and the baffle may prevent the assembler from accessing connectors or components in the IHS chassis, which can increase factory assembly times and costs. Furthermore, the baffle may obstruct access to areas of the IHS chassis when the IHS is being serviced.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for directing air in an IHS chassis absent the disadvantages found in the prior methods discussed above.